U.S. patent number 5,305,988 [Application Number 07/949,939] was granted by the patent office on 1994-04-26 for valves having involute sealing surfaces.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Halliburton Company. Invention is credited to Don C. Cox.
United States Patent |
5,305,988 |
Cox |
April 26, 1994 |
Valves having involute sealing surfaces
Abstract
Two embodiments of a metal valve, each having a body with flow
passages and curved internal sealing surfaces and a valve member
with a flow passage and external curved sealing surfaces. Both the
body and valve member sealing surfaces are curved as a portion of
the involute of a circle and are sealingly engageable. The valve
member is mounted in the body for rotation between open and closed
positions, permitting and preventing flow through valve.
Inventors: |
Cox; Don C. (Roanoke, TX) |
Assignee: |
Halliburton Company (Houston,
TX)
|
Family
ID: |
25489702 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/949,939 |
Filed: |
September 24, 1992 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
251/309;
166/330 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B
34/06 (20130101); F16K 5/185 (20130101); E21B
34/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F16K
5/00 (20060101); F16K 5/18 (20060101); E21B
34/06 (20060101); E21B 34/00 (20060101); E21B
34/14 (20060101); F16K 005/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;251/309,312,314,298,291,292 ;137/327 ;166/330,331 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
Composite Catalog 1992-1993, p. 1216, vol. 1, p. 3283, vol.
2..
|
Primary Examiner: Schwadron; Martin P.
Assistant Examiner: Lee; Kevin L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Druce; Tracy W. Cox; Roland O.
Claims
What I claim is:
1. A valve comprising:
(a) a body having inlet and outlet flow passages and inlet and
outlet flow passage sealing surfaces therein, said inlet and outlet
sealing surfaces formed as a portion of the curve of an involute of
a circle; and
(b) a valve member having a flow passage therethrough mounted for
rotation between open and closed positions in said body, said valve
member having sealing surfaces thereon, each said sealing surface
formed as a portion of the curve of an involute of a circle, said
valve member sealing surfaces sealingly engageable with said body
inlet and outlet sealing surfaces.
2. The valve of claim 1 wherein the curve of an involute of a
circle is defined in polar coordinates by:
where:
A=radius of the base circle,
R=radius from the center of the base circle to a point on the
involute, and
.THETA.=angle of revolution about the center of the base circle
from the starting point of the involute to R.
3. The valve of clam 2 wherein the body and valve member are
metal.
4. A valve comprising:
(a) a body having inlet and outlet flow passages and inlet and
outlet sealing surfaces therein, said inlet and outlet sealing
surfaces formed as a portion of the curve of an involute of a
circle;
(b) a valve member having a flow passage therethrough and sealing
surfaces thereon, each said sealing surface formed as a portion of
the curve of an involute of a circle, said valve member sealing
surfaces sealingly engageable with said body sealing surfaces and
said valve member rotatably mounted in said body;
(c) a bonnet connected in and sealed to said body; and
(d) means for sealing said valve member in said body and
bonnet.
5. The valve of claim 4 wherein the body, valve member and bonnet
are metal.
6. The valve of claim 4 wherein the bonnet is sealed to the body
with a metal seal and the means for sealing the valve member in the
body and bonnet are metal seals.
7. A valve comprising:
(a) a metal body having flow passages and involute curved sealing
surfaces therein;
(b) a metal valve member having a flow passage therethrough and
involute curved sealing surfaces thereon, said valve member curved
sealing surfaces sealingly engageable with said body curved sealing
surfaces, said valve member rotatably mounted and sealed in said
body with a metal seal, said valve member and body involute sealing
surfaces formed as a portion of the involute of a circle, said
involute is defined in polar coordinates by:
where:
A=radius of the base circle,
R=radius from the center of the base circle to a point on the
involute, and
.THETA.=angle of revolution about the center of the base circle
from the starting point of the involute to R; and
(c) a metal bonnet connected in and sealed to said body with a
metal seal, said valve member sealed for rotation in said bonnet
with a metal seal.
8. A valve having a longitudinal flow passage therethrough, said
valve comprising:
(a) a connector having a thread thereon and recesses therein, said
connector sealably connected to
(b) a cylindrical body having a wall with flow passages
therethrough and sealing surfaces therein, said sealing surfaces
formed as a portion of the curve of an involute of a circle, said
body sealably connected to a
(c) lower body having a thread thereon;
(d) a valve member mounted for rotation in said lower body, said
valve member having flow passages therethrough and sealing surfaces
thereon, said sealing surfaces formed as a portion of the curve of
an involute of a circle, said valve member sealing surfaces
sealingly engageable with said body sealing surfaces; and
(e) means for rotating said valve member between open position,
where said body and valve member flow passages are aligned to
permit flow between said valve longitudinal flow passage and
outside said valve, and closed position, where said valve member
sealing surfaces sealingly engage said body sealing surfaces and
close said body and valve member flow passages to flow.
9. The valve of claim 8 wherein the means for rotating the valve
member comprises:
(a) projections on the valve member;
(b) the connector recesses, wherein a rotary positioning tool is
connectable; and
(c) a rotatable member disposed in said body, said rotatable member
having upper and lower projections, said lower projections meshing
with said valve member projections.
10. The valve of claim 8 wherein the valve member sealing surfaces
and body sealing surfaces are formed as a portion of the curve of
an involute of a circle, said involute is defined in polar
coordinates by:
where:
A=radius of the base circle,
R=radius from the center of the base circle to a point on the
involute, and
.THETA.=angle of revolution about the center of the base circle
from the starting point of the involute to R.
11. The valve of claim 8 wherein the body and valve member are
metal.
12. The valve of claim 11 wherein the connector and lower body are
metal.
13. A valve comprising:
(a) a body having flow passages therethrough and sealing surfaces
therein, said sealing surfaces formed as a portion of the curve of
an involute of a circle;
(b) a valve member mounted for rotation in said body, said valve
member having flow passages therethrough and sealing surfaces
thereon, said sealing surfaces formed as a portion of the curve of
an involute of a circle, said sealing surfaces sealingly engageable
with said body sealing surfaces; and
(c) means for rotating said valve member between open position,
where said body and said valve member flow passages are aligned,
and closed position, where said valve member sealing surfaces
sealingly engage said body sealing surfaces and close said body and
valve member flow passages to flow.
14. The valve of claim 13 further including a connector and a lower
body for connecting the body into a flow conduit, said connector
having recesses therein.
15. A valve comprising:
(a) a body having flow passages therethrough and sealing surfaces
therein, said sealing surfaces formed as a portion of the curve of
an involute of a circle;
(b) a valve member mounted for rotation in said body, said valve
member having flow passages therethrough and sealing surfaces
thereon, said sealing surfaces formed as a portion of the curve of
an involute of a circle, said sealing surfaces sealingly engageable
with said body sealing surfaces; and
(c) means for rotating said valve member between open position,
where said body and said valve member flow passages are aligned,
and closed position, where said valve member sealing surfaces
sealingly engage said body sealing surfaces and close said body and
valve member flow passages to flow;
a connector and a lower body for connecting the body into a flow
conduit, said connector having recesses therein; and
said means for rotating the valve member between open and closed
positions comprises:
(a) recesses in the connector;
(b) projections on the valve member; and
(c) a rotatable member in the body, said rotatable member having
projections meshing with said valve member projections.
16. The valve of claim 15 wherein the rotatable member further
includes projections not meshing with the valve member
projections.
17. A valve having a longitudinal flow passage therethrough, said
valve comprising:
(a) a metal connector having a thread thereon and recesses therein
for connection of a positioning tool, said connector sealably
connected to
(b) a cylindrical metal body having a wall with flow passages
therethrough and involute curved sealing surfaces in said body,
said body sealably connected to a
(c) metal lower body having a thread thereon and a bearing surface
therein;
(d) a metal valve member mounted for rotation on said lower body
bearing surface, said valve member having flow passages
therethrough, involute curved sealing surfaces and projections
thereon, said valve member curved sealing surfaces sealingly
engageable with said curved body sealing surfaces, said valve
member and body sealing surfaces curved as a portion of an involute
of a circle which is defined in polar coordinates by:
where:
A=radius of the base circle,
R=radius from the center of the base circle to a point on the
involute, and
.THETA.=angle of revolution about the center of the base circle
from the starting point of the involute to R; and
(e) means for rotating said valve member between open position,
aligning said valve member flow passages with said body flow
passages and permitting flow between said valve longitudinal flow
passage and outside the valve and closed position, preventing flow
between said valve longitudinal flow passage and outside the valve,
said means for rotating said valve member comprising:
said connector recesses,
a rotatable member in said body,
said rotatable member having projections on one end meshing with
said valve member projections and projections on the other end for
engagement by a rotatable positioning tool.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
This application pertains to valves and particularly pertains to
valves having a valve member which is mounted in a body and rotated
between open and closed positions.
(2) Background Information
Quite a number of valves have been developed which utilize
resilient sealing materials for sealing between internal valve
parts and metal valves and metal seats which rub on each other
through the full arc as the valve member is rotated between open
and closed positions. The resilient sealing materials often
deteriorate rapidly as affected by high temperatures, chemical
action and possibly erosion to a condition in which they no longer
seal internal valve parts to one another. After metal valves and
seats rub on each other through full turning arcs numerous times,
metal sealing surfaces tend to gall ruining one or both of the
sealing surfaces for sealing engagement with each other resulting
in valve leakage. Particles of grit on metal sealing surfaces also
may damage these surfaces to no longer sealingly engage. To have a
reliable seal, the metal-to-metal valve and seats should have large
areas for sealing engagement and should sealingly engage throughout
the entire contacting area.
A mathematical analysis was made of arcs of circles, involutes,
archimedean spirals, logarithmic spirals, epicycloids and
hypocycloids to determine the most desirable curved surface for
metal sealing surfaces. The involute of a circle was found to have
all the required characteristics. The location of points on the
involute curve was calculated and it was found there were a number
of existing manufacturing processes which could be used to form
involute curves on metal valve members and in metal valve
bodies.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The valves of the present invention utilize a metal valve member, a
metal seat member and have no resilient material seals which may
deteriorate. The sealing surfaces on the valve member and seat
member are curved portions formed according to the mathematical
formula for the involute of a circle, which is defined in polar
coordinates by:
where:
A=radius of the base circle,
R=radius from the center of the base circle to a point on the
involute, and
.THETA.=angle of revolution about the center of the base circle
from the starting point of the involute to R.
By rotating the valve member relative to sealing surfaces in the
body, flow passages in the body are closed or opened to flow. The
involute shape of the sealing surfaces ensures sealing engagement
throughout the entire area of contact between the two sealing
surfaces and provides immediate separation of the sealing surfaces
on any rotation, which prevents rubbing of one sealing surface on
the other throughout the total angle the valve member is rotated.
It should be easily recognized by all with ordinary skill in valve
art that involute curved sealing surfaces are applicable to valve
and seat members in many types of valves, which control fluid
flow.
An object of this invention is to provide an all metal valve for
use in high temperature and/or corrosive environments, having no
resilient material seals.
Another object of this invention is to provide an all metal valve,
which has an all metal valve member with a metal sealing surface
and an all metal body with a metal sealing surface wherein the
metal valve member is rotatable between open and closed
positions.
Another object of this invention is to provide an all metal valve
wherein the body sealing surfaces and valve member sealing surfaces
are curved as portions of an involute of a circle and the valve
member sealing surfaces and body sealing surfaces are sealingly
engaged when the valve member is rotated to closed position.
Another object of this invention is to provide a metal valve having
involute curved sealing surfaces on the rotatable valve member and
in the body so when the valve member is rotated from closed to open
position, a clearance between the valve member and body sealing
surfaces is created on any rotation of the valve member and the
clearance prevents erosion or flow cutting of the sealing surfaces
and the valve member sealing surfaces do not rub on the body
sealing surfaces as the valve member is rotated to open position
and back to closed position.
Also an object of this invention is to provide an all metal valve
which consistently requires little torque to rotate the valve
member from closed to open position and back to closed position,
regardless of how high the pressure differential is across the
closed valve.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the valve member of this
invention.
FIG. 2 is a view in partial cross-section taken along line 2--2 of
FIG. 1 showing the valve member.
FIG. 3 is a view in partial cross-section taken along line 3--3 of
FIG. 2 showing the valve member between open and closed
position.
FIG. 4 is a view in partial cross-section taken along line 3--3 of
FIG. 2 showing the valve member in open position.
FIG. 5 is a view in partial cross-section taken along line 3--3 of
FIG. 2 showing the valve member in closed position.
FIG. 6 is an elevational view in section of an embodiment of the
invention for use in a well flow conduit.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 6
showing recesses used in the rotation of the valve member.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 6
showing the valve member in closed position.
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 6
showing the valve member in open position.
DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 shows the valve 10 of this invention which includes a body
11 and a valve member 12 rotatably mounted in the body. The valve
member has a stem with wrench flats 12a, a through flow passage 12b
and two identical sealing surfaces 12c--see FIG. 2. The valve
member is positioned for rotation in the body by a bonnet 13
secured in the body and the valve member stem is sealed to the
bonnet by a metal seal 14 and to the body by a metal seal 15. The
bonnet has holes 13a into which a spanner wrench may be fitted to
secure the bonnet in the body. The bonnet is sealed to the body by
another metal seal 16. In the body are two identical curved sealing
surfaces 11a, which are sealingly engageable with curved valve
member sealing surfaces 12c, and flow passages 11b and 11c. Sealing
surfaces 11a and 12c are formed as portions of involute curves
according to the previously stated formula (see FIGS. 3, 4 and 5).
Valve member sealing surfaces sealingly engage body sealing
surfaces when the valve member is rotated to closed position as
shown in FIG. 5, and flow between flow passages 11b and 11c through
flow passage 12b is prevented.
When the valve member is rotated from closed position toward open
position as shown in FIG. 3, the valve sealing surfaces immediately
move away from the body sealing surfaces a clearance c distance and
no rubbing occurs between the sealing surfaces as the valve member
is rotated to full open position shown in FIG. 4. When the valve is
open, flow may occur between flow passages 11b and 11c through flow
passage 12b.
Clearance c between valve member sealing surfaces and body sealing
surfaces is established immediately on rotation of the valve member
and increases to a maximum when the valve member is in open
position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The preferred embodiment of the valve of this invention 17 is shown
in FIG. 6. This embodiment may be connected in a well flow conduit,
lowered into a larger well conduit and be rotated between open and
closed positions by a rotary positioning tool (not shown), which is
lowered into the conduit and engages the valve. The outside
diameter of valve 17 has been reduced and the inside diameter has
been increased for compatibility with standard well conduit
sizes.
Valve 17 includes a connector 18 having an appropriate thread 18a
for connection into a well conduit and recesses 18b (FIG. 7) into
which the positioning tool connects for operation to rotate the
valve member. The connector is sealably connected to a body 19
having flow passages 19a. Inside the body are curved sealing
surfaces 19b, each curved as a portion of an involute curve, see
FIGS. 8 and 9. A lower body 20 is sealably connected to body 19 and
has an appropriate thread 20a for connection into a conduit and a
bearing surface 20b. Mounted for rotation on the bearing surface
and in the body is a valve member 21. The valve member has sealing
surfaces 21a, each surface is formed as a portion of an involute
curve which is sealingly engageable with body involute curve
sealing surfaces 19b. Valve member 21 also has flow passages 21b
and is connected to a rotatable member 22 through meshing
projections 21c on the valve member and 22a on the rotatable
member. The rotatable member also has projections 22b engageable by
a rotary positioning tool, for rotating member 22 and valve member
21 between open and closed positions in bodies 19 and 20. Valve 17
also has a longitudinal through flow passage 23. When the rotatable
member is rotated clockwise by the positioning tool, the valve
member is rotated to closed position as shown in FIG. 8 and flow
between flow passage 23 through flow passages 21b and outside the
valve 17 is prevented. When the positioning tool is operated to
rotate member 22 and valve member 21 counterclockwise, flow
passages 21b are aligned with flow passages 19a as shown in FIG. 9
and flow may occur between valve flow passage 23 through passages
21b and outside the valve.
Testing to date of a valve with involute sealing surfaces revealed
opening and closing the valve numerous times against very high
pressure differentials has not damaged the involute sealing
surfaces or degraded their sealing ability. A surprise finding
during tests was that the torque to open the valve remains very low
and essentially the same no matter how high the pressure
differential across the closed valve.
Also, as clearance between the valve member sealing surfaces and
body sealing surfaces occurs immediately on any rotation of the
valve member and increases to a maximum when the valve member is in
open position, flow cutting by flow between the valve sealing
surfaces and body sealing surfaces has been found to be nil.
* * * * *